Online market research is not a new phenomenon and if you’re not using web 2.0 as a platform for this research you could be missing out.  As web traffic steadily increased, major market research and polling firms like Zogby and Harris Interactive added online systems to their suite of services, allowing them to provide a quicker, less expensive alternative to traditional research studies.  Also, online survey application start-ups like Survey Monkey and Zoomerang flourished but with all of this came risk – quality control.  Read the rest of this entry »

As a result of decreased online display ad spending combined with advertiser requests for more engaging and measurable online ad options, several large publishers are currently planning or beta-testing new online ad units to be rolled out later in the year. 

• NYT, WSJ & ESPN will be introducing three markedly larger and potentially more invasive banner ads with rich media capabilities this summer. One unit will be a wider version of the standard skyscrapers following users as they scroll down the page. Another will be a 468-by-648-pixel box with expandable video option. The third planned is a pushdown unit taking up over half the page before rolling up. All three will provide the benefit of more visibility, interactivity and engagement.

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In his book Convergence Culture, author Henry Jenkins describes convergence as “…the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want.”

The ability to access the internet through one’s family room television is widely regarded as The Holy Grail of convergence and streaming video may ultimately go down as the major catalyst for the consumer shift.�
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In an effort to improve the way we measure outdoor advertising delivery, EYES ON ratings and impressions will be rolled out by the Traffic Audit Bureau (TAB) this spring. EYES ON ratings and impressions will be calculated by applying visibility adjustment indices (VAIs) to vehicular and pedestrian circulation figures for each location.  These VAIs will allow for factors like panel size, distance from the road, and street type to have an effect on the estimated delivery for a location.
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Multi-media plans have become essential for reaching audiences that are more fragmented with each year that passes.  For marketers, evaluating and then coordinating these different media tactics, creatives and metrics into one seamless campaign is not without its share of difficulties.  On the flip side, media vendors have struggled to develop and sell multi-media solutions and create meaningful cost efficiencies for themselves and clients alike. Read the rest of this entry »